Slendertone has brought its ab-toning belt into the connected age with a Bluetooth version that connects to your smartphone.

The electric muscle stimulant belt, which is made by Galway-based Bio-Medical Research Ltd, creates a personal toning plan for the user, keeping track of their progress against targets and motivating them to continue with the programme through alerts on their mobile phone.

Called Connect Abs, it offers users a number of different programme, from toning and fitness to a programme aimed at postnatal women.

The app prompts users to replace the gel pads on the belt when needed, something that if not done at the right time that could cause it to fail to work as efficiently.

The app not only helps consumers, but it also keep Slendertone in touch with their customers.

The company brought in Irish app development firm Tapadoo as development partner for the iOS software.

“They were impressed with our approach and our attitude towards the project,” said Tapadoo’s Dermot Daly. “We could see not just that this would be a cool project to work on, but we could also understand why the business needed it.”

As a medical device, the belt needed to pass an audit by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which would apply not only to the device but also the app.

“We had to write design specifications up front,” Mr Daly said. The company also had to test the device with all versions of the Apple software across all iOS devices, and prove it had passed those tests.

The device was awarded its FDA approval, clearing the way for it to be sold to US consumers. The belt went on sale to customers in the UK and Ireland last week.